Don advocates responsible investment in agriculture

The Federal Government has been urged to develop principles for responsible investment in agriculture that respect rights, livelihoods and resources.

Prof Martins Anetekhai, of the Lagos State University (LASU) said the principles should promote responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests.

Speaking with The Nation, Anetekhai said the principles should address all types of investment in agricultural value chains and food systems including small producers, research, extension services and technology transfer. This also include foreign, domestic, public, private small, medium and large-scale investments.

He said investments are required to support expansion in agricultural output to meet projected demand. These include investment in primary agriculture and services such as storage and processing facilities.

While emphasizing the need to attract investment in the agriculture sector, with a view toward improving food security, yields, output, and value added, Anetekhai pointed out that poorly conceived or executed investments, , could have unintended negative impacts in terms of , sustainable food production, or environmental protection for Nigerians.

He urged the government and the private sector to support farmers to increase production and mitigate problems caused by climate change.